Wind and Shadow by Tori L. Ridgewood

Title: Wind and Shadow (The Talbot Trilogy #1)

Author: Tori L. Ridgewood

Length: 230 pages

Publisher: Melange Books

Classification: Adult, Paranormal

Release Date: June 13, 2013

Source: e-book (provided by author and publicist for a review. Thank you!)

Read: April 2014

After a series of misadventures including being accused of attempted murder in high school, Rayvin Woods, a photographer and natural witch, left her hometown of Talbot in Northeastern Ontario, hoping to start her life over and never return. Ten years later, circumstances force her back to face her past and her former crush Grant Michaels.  Malcolm de Sade, a cunning vampire, escapes from an underground prison looking for vengeance. His accidental release unleashes his hunger and ambition on a small, sleepy town. Rayvin’s power is all that stands between de Sade and his domination of Talbot, and beyond.   Grant Michaels, a police officer, thought Rayvin was a murderer. He will do whatever it takes to protect the community he loves from danger... but will he learn to trust his heart, and the word of a witch, before it's too late?Rayvin didn't count on rekindling a lost love or battling a malevolent vampire and his coven for her life when she came home to Talbot. Facing the past can be a nightmare… It’s worse when a vampire is stalking you.

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**This e-book was provided for me by the author and/or publicist in exchange for a honest review.**


I enjoy reading paranormal books and I especially love reading about witches. And the book description immediately grabbed my interest.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and am happy that I read it.

The Story:

I think this book has an interesting plot. The story pulled me in and I kept wanting to know what happened in Rayvin's (the main character) past. And the author did a wonderful job of creating and developing a story that kept me interested in what was happening. 

There were a couple of events that I figured out, but overall the story had several surprises and twists that I didn't expect. I felt that these events did a good job of keeping my interest in what was happening. And added to the fact that this book was a fast read. 

But, I didn't particularly like the plot twist at the end of the book. Some people might like what happened, but I didn't really like the shift in the story. It does end on a cliffhanger, which doesn't really bother me. But the big climax that leads to the end of this part of the trilogy I didn’t really like, which has left me with not needing to find out what happens next that quickly. I will probably eventually finish reading the trilogy.  

There are sexual situations throughout the book, which I wasn't really expecting and it took me by surprise. (Which I probably owe to the fact that I have been reading pretty much only YA books lately.) 

The Characters:

Rayvin: She is our main character. Most of the story is told from her point of view. She is a witch. (Which I love!) I think that Rayvin is a well-developed character. I found her to be full of mystery and it really made me interested in her character. Overall, I think she is strong willed and full of determination. She is protective of those she cares about. I especially liked that she didn’t let her past control her. She has worked hard to move on.

Grant Michaels: He is the love interest and a police officer. He has a hard time with his emotions for Rayvin. I like this character. He is protective and strong. And out of most of the people in Talbot, he really tries to move on from what happened in the past. He is skeptic and notices detail, which makes him a great police officer.

Malcolm de Sade: The vampire stalking Rayvin. He is dangerous, creepy, and mysterious all at once. The author does a great job of creating the “nemesis bad guy” as a character that I can dislike/hate, but also be really interested in reading about. 

I recommend this book. If you like reading paranormal stories, especially about witches, then you might really enjoy reading this one!

My Rating:

(I rate this book somewhere between a 3.5 and 4 star. But have decided to round up to 4 stars.)